Don't Go, Snips
by TrueDauntlessMaster
Summary: Ahsoka is about to leave the Order. Will Anakin let her go or will he convince her stay? ONE-SHOT STAR WARS ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE I do not own Star Wars. George Lucas and Disney do.


**So, another Star Wars fanfic! YAY!**

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Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Master Plo Koon, Master Mundi, Master Windu and Grand Master Yoda were in the large room that held the meetings of the Jedi Council. Ahsoka stood in front of the semi-circle of Jedi Masters around her.

"Ahsoka, I'm so sorry about everything," Anakin said, his voice coming slowly as if he was trying not to let the memories of the recent events fill his mind and take over his thoughts.

Ahsoka nodded.

"You have our most humble apologies, little 'Soka," Master Plo Koon touched the palms of his hands in the front area of his torso, showing he was truly sorry. "The Council was wrong to accuse you."

"You have shown such great strength. And resilience in your struggle to prove your innocence."

"This is the true sign of a Jedi Knight," said Master Mundi.

Master Mundi's voice came strong, "This was actually your Great Trial. Now we see that. We understand that the Force works in mysterious ways." Ahsoka crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for him to finish. "And because of this Trial, you have become a greater Jedi that you would have otherwise."

Ahsoka looked down at Master Yoda when his voice sounded, his lips showing a small smile to the young Togruta. "Back into the Order, you may come."

"They are asking you back, Ahsoka," Anakin stepped forward, gesturing to the Jedi Masters of the Council. He looked at Ahsoka, deep in her baby-blue eyes with his piercing gaze. "I'm asking you back." He reached into one of the pockets of his belt and retrieved her Silka beads, and offered it to her, his hand barely holding them, eager for her to accept it.

Ahsoka looked into his eyes for a second and then back at her Padawan braid and back to Anakin's eyes. He smiled at her, beaming at her for what was happening to them. It was what he had promised. He promised he would prove her innocence, bring her back to the Jedi Order. He did and now all she had to do was attach the end of her headpiece to the Silka beads that was being offered to her.

Anakin and Ahsoka looked at the thin object in his hand, but his eyes returned to observe her. She dueled her thoughts and made her decision, reaching her hand out to her Master's.

Former Master's hand.

She held his palm with her right hand and closed his fingers over the braid with her left. Then a painful expression took over her features as she turned to face him again, tears welling up in her eyes. The shocked look in his face almost brought her to spill the tears right there.

"I'm sorry, Master," she took a step back, her voice was thick with emotion, coarse as she almost-whisperly pronounced them, "But I'm not coming back."

Then she looked down, turned and walked out of the room, leaving a shocked Jedi Council and a lost Anakin Skywalker, who still had his hand held out, behind. The young Jedi Knight widened his eyes briefly before looking down for a second and then walking to find the Togruta.

The walking soon turned to a running, which turned to a full-sprinting race to the girl that was leaving the Temple.

Obi-Wan was about to follow his former Padawan before Plo Koon placed a restraining hand on the ginger man's shoulder. Even Master Yoda frowned and looked concerned for the young Padawan. He closed his eyes and shook his head, disappointed by Skywalker's attachment, but more than that. He was disappointed on the Council, for letting a mere suspicion deceive them all.

"Ahsoka, wait!" Anakin shouted as he ran to her.

The big statues in front of the Jedi Temple made a shadow over Ahsoka as she walked between the last pair in order to leave the Temple. Her eyes glued to the image in front of her, a pained expression in her face, as she tried to compose herself to talk to him before leaving.

"Ahsoka! I need to talk to you!"

She stopped, and turned around as she heard him reaching her. He sighed, which worried her about his health. He never took it seriously, which frustrated Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and Padmé greatly.

"Why are you doing this?" He still breathed deeply.

"The Council didn't trust me. So how can I trust myself?" She half turned away from him, embracing herself.

"What about me?" Anakin touched his hand to his chest. "I believed in you, I stood by you."

"I know you believe in me, Anakin," her eye markings furrowed, "And I'm grateful for that. But this isn't about. I can't stay here any longer," her eyes switched between Anakin and the entrance of the Temple, "Not now," until she finally crossed her arms over her chest and turning away from him.

"The Jedi Order is your life. You can't just throw it away like this," he said, exasperate, "Ahsoka, you are making a mistake."

Ahsoka looked at him again. "Maybe. But I have to sort this out on my own, without the Council and without you." And then completely turned her back to Anakin.

"I understand, more than you realize, I understand wanting to walk away from the Order," Anakin's words began strong, but ended in a whisper, a murmur. A confession. One that Ahsoka already knew. And upon her next words, Anakin's face was pure shock.

"I know."

Tears welled up in her eyes, her internal conflict very evident through their powerful Force bond. And then she walked, away from the Temple, the Jedi Order and Anakin himself.

But he wouldn't let her go that easily.

He realized at that moment that Ahsoka Tano wasn't the snippy, little Togruta he once met in Christophisis. No, now she was a mature, responsible, fierce woman. He was surprised he only noticed it now, but he just couldn't let her throw her entire future away like that.

So he ran across her and stopped right in front of her, making her stop as well.

"If Barriss was confirmed innocent right now, would you trust her?" He shot, his voice calm, with a hint of despair only one that knew him well would know. Ahsoka did.

"Don't do this, it's-" She tried to say, but he didn't let her finish. He knew that if he could prove his point to her, maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't go.

"You lost your trust in her when it was proven she attacked the Temple, right? But if right now she was proven innocent, you would forgive her. You would regret ever doubting her. You would humbly ask her to forgive you for not trusting her."

"It's not the same thing!" Her eyes showed hurt and disappointment. She was too young to be experienced in war, suffering and pain the way she was. And that hurt Anakin.

"It's precisely the same thing," his eyes dug deep into hers. "The Council only accused you when there was proof against you. Before that, it had never crossed their minds that you might have been the one to plan the attack. They forgave you when we proved you're innocent. Now they humbly asked you to join the Order again, they regretted ever doubting you."

"You trusted me the whole time, differently from them," she pointed, crossing her arms.

"I trust you, Ahsoka. But the Council works with facts and you know as well as I do that the Force can be misunderstood sometimes. They barely trust me," he contra-pointed.

She hesitated. It was quick and even took her by surprise, but Anakin saw it. And that was all he needed.

"I can't go back. I was thrown out of the Order in a mere second of doubt."

She turned to walk away, but he grabbed her upper arm. "Ahsoka, don't go. Please."

"I can't stay," she avoided looking at him, so she remained with her back facing the Temple once again.

"I can't let you leave."

He pulled her in a tight hug, taking her completely by surprise. "Please, come back. Ahsoka, you're more than just my Padawan. You're my sister, Snips." Anakin felt her tense at his words, not expecting to hear them.

"Anakin," she whispered while circling her own strong arms around his torso, burying her head in his leather clothing. "I actually always thought of you in a parenting way."

Anakin chuckled lightly, "I'm not really that old, you know."

"Yes, but it doesn't change what I meant."

They remained in each other's arms for an indefinable amount of time, until Anakin broke the comfortable silence.

"So you'll come back?" he asked, eyeing the Padawan braid that rested in his gloved hand. He was almost afraid to ask, which he realized there was no reason to when he saw the smile on her face.

"Yes, Skyguy. After all, who would drive you crazy?"

She reached for her braid and attached it to the end of the headpiece. Its light weight and gentle touch on her lekku was something very familiar, something she didn't know her heart ached for. It made her feel complete, at peace, at home.

The Master-Padawan duo made their way back to the Jedi Temple, huge smiles plastered on their faces. Obi-Wan and Plo Koon stood nervously on one of the main corridors, waiting. When Ahsoka and Anakin entered their vision rate, they both sighed, relieve flooding through their veins.

"Ahsoka. It's so good to have you back," Master Kenobi said, noticing the Padawan braid in its rightful place.

"Lil' 'Soka, welcome back," Master Koon nodded.

"Thank you, Masters. Master Skywalker convinced me to stay," she eyed him by the corner of her eye.

"You just couldn't leave me, Snips," he said. And it was true. Ahsoka stayed because of him.

She would never say it out loud, though she hoped he knew it deep inside.

Anakin clapped his hands together, gathering everyone's attention, including some Jedi that walked by that part of the Temple. "Anyone hungry?"

"Do you ever stop eating?" Obi-Wan asked, following Anakin to the mess hall.

"You never know when your last meal will be," he argued.

"After all, the Senate can suddenly join the Separists and turn the Clone Army against the Jedi, killing everyone here," Ahsoka joked.

"You never know."

Plo Koon only chuckled and followed them, thinking about what kind of food they'd find.

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 **Yes? No?**

 **Kinda short, but I' working to make it a long-fic. What do ya think?**


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